Over the past few years I have heard sighsand grumblings that Christmas has become “too commercial”; that we don’t honor the “real reason” for Christmas, or that greetings at this time of the year can only be in theform of “Merry Christmas”. As I looked through piles of my grandma’s Christmascards (she was born in 1898) I found a variety of greetings that had beensent to her, or by her, that shared all kinds of greetings. Some from the Victorian era look more like Halloween greetings— like this knife-wielding Christmas character!

I love the Christmas traditions of which I have been a part over the years. And likely
all of you do too. But I don’t insist that everyone follow them, nor do I pretend that
everything I do at Christmas time shares aspecific Christian message. I think it might be good to both enjoy and examine our own traditions and allow others to enjoy theirs, free of our judgment. This question: Want to keep Christ in Christmas? has appeared in a variety of social media outlets. And I think it is a really good message for us to consider
for ourselves. So however another greets you this year, smile and respond with kindness. If appropriate, most certainly say “Merry Christmas”, but let’s not join the chorus criticizing others for using different greetings.